DIY PINE CONE CHRISTMAS ELVES

We are heading into fall which means soon we will be able to find pine cones all over the ground! Pinecones are perfect for making decorations for fall, winter and best of all…Christmas! Of course, your local craft store will also sell pinecones all year long, but if you can save that step, you’ll have a little extra moolah in your pocket.

You Will Need:

Pine cones in various sizes

Felt squares (or any material you have laying around your craft room)

Small jingle bells

Fine-tipped permanent marker

Wood beads or wood dowel rod caps (about 1” in diameter)

Heavy duty fabric glue

Hot glue and glue sticks

Card stock

Scissors

String/thread with needle

How-To:

Use your card stock to make a little cone-shaped hat that fits around the wood bead. Mark the card stock, and make sure to leave a little extra to glue around the hat.

Cut out your hat form and use this as a template for all of the little hats you will be making.

Also use the card stock to make little feet for your elves (I’m using a heart shape), and for the gloves. You can freehand this or print a picture from the internet and cut it out.

Cut out hats, gloves, and feet out of the felt. It’s best to do this all at once so everything is cut out for as many elves as you would like.

For the scarf, cut your felt about 11” long by ½” wide.

Glue the hat together all the way up the triangle.

Take a needle and thread (or string) and attach a jingle bell to the top of the hat and run the string through the hat. Use hot glue to attach the string to the felt to keep the jingle bell in place.

Hot glue the hat on to the wooden bead.

Make a mark for the eyes and mouth with your fine-tipped permanent marker.

Hot glue the feet on the elves at the bottom of the pine cone. You can make this layer a double or triple layer if you would like a stronger base.

Use hot glue to attach the head onto the pine cone. Make sure that at least one of the pieces of pine cones goes through a hole in the wooden bead.

Take your scarf piece and wrap it around the neck of the your elf between the wooden bead head and the pine cone body.

Glue on the gloves or mittens to the side of the pinecone. If you want your elves to hold anything, add this now. I will be adding some music sheets like they are carolers.

Tips:

You can use any material you have laying around the house, as long as it is thick and holds its shape like felt does. If you don’t have felt, you can use card stock to hold up the hat and cover it with your favorite fabric.

You can buy pine cones or find them in your area during fall. Money saver!

Use pine cones that have a flatter base so that it’s easier to have them stand up on their own.

How adorable is this DIY, would you try this at home? The best part is I did all my shopping with Amazon online … I didn’t even have to leave the house. Missed the episode or want to see it in action then check it out here. Tell us what you think in the comments below and remember we want to see your DIY’s on Instagram so follow @PaigeHemmis #PaigeDIY